GE-C-Tou

FrancoisD, There are a lot of decent school hockey programs on the Island of Montreal. Hence, the metropolitain LEQ teams compete with these programs and lose a lot of talent. With the 2005s, they lost more players to the schools. Maskoutain, If you look at the names of the 2002s, 2003s and 2004s in SIL back when they were U12, you will notice that SIL is also exposed to an exodus towards the school options as many of the names have disappeared.

Prez, I don't know which level you are referring to but if it's Bantam AAA Major... Lions won that game and kept on playing - if this was 1/4, then they played semis and the final and every kid on the team ended up playing more minutes and they won. Vince Lombardi once said: "If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score ?" Look at Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball and any other team sport. And for Hockey, look at what is done outside our distinct society and you will realize that equal playing time after a certain age is not the norm. Life isn't fair, life is a meritocracy and playing sports teaches life lessons and helps prepare our kids for real life. You guys at HQ do a lot of good things but the equal playing time thing, although it's great in novice, atom and peewee, should be somewhat relaxed in bantam. As we say here: just my opignon (or opinion ?) !

First step to be considered exceptional is to get surclassed to play Midget AAA at 14 yrs old. We all remember the 2001s with Parent, Poulin and that group - no one was granted exceptional status. Five 2002s were surclassed - no one was even close None of the 2003s were surclassed - although a few could/should have played up - Mianscum finished top scorer in Espoir, Roy from the Beauce and Tinling were dominant in Bantam AAA with over 2pts per game. Mianscum would go 1st round and maybe 1st overall if he was eligible for the Q draft in June. I believe the 2004s could have a handful in Midget AAA - On D Luneau Warren and Charboneau all could play midget. While up front, we can imagine that the Lions could bring up a few forwards (Lastarza, Swan, Vidicek, Rozzi) The next exceptional is likely one of the forwards from the Lions who all had exeptional stats in their first year bantam.

M.L. had 47 pts in Bantam AAA as a 13 year old vs 19 for Alexis Lafreniere and 24 for Samuel Poulin at the same age/same level Maskoutain, your boy is a goalie !!!! you should know you can't compare stats from the 80s and 90s to more recent stats !

Next one could be a 2004: LaStarza, Warren and Gravel were dominant in their first year at the Bantam level - I don't see a goalie playing Midget AAA at 14 but I wouldn't be surprised if the other two got surclassed... with a dominant year in Midget AAA next season, either one could end up with exceptional status and play in the QMJHL at 15. All of this being said, the probabilities are very slim.

None of their 2004s are at the Bantam major camp ??? Ray, if they are only trying out for releve, how could they make major. It would be a shame if they kept those kids in Minor

These are all great rules to keep kids in hockey, as when you start skipping turns and/or getting injured hockey does become less fun ! However, keeping the majority of the kids happy and manufacturing your fair share of pro hockey players, to me, are two very different objectives. It is obvious that HQ decided to favour the former rather than the later. Second year Bantam, the top kids are one year away from Midget AAA and potentially two years away from the Q - "restrictive" body contact, playing different positions every game and equal playing time/responsibilities are all rules that are good for novice, atom and peewee but are those rules really what's best to get the top prospects in the province ready to compete at the next levels ??? I would argue strongly that they are NOT. These decisions will have positive impacts and negative impacts - HQ has to keep that in mind when they get blamed down the road for the lethargic number of Quebec born players selected at the NHL Entry Draft 4-5 years down the road.

That isn't the question - the question is will Bantam Major go with "restrictive" body contact next season ???

Hockey Quebec sent a letter this week to all parents with kids enrolled in U13 and U14 It said: 1. Ice time has to be EQUAL 2. Players must play at EVERY POSITION (Forward has to play center, right wing and left wing) 3. NO SPECIAL TEAMS (power play or PK) 4. Lines have to change EVERY GAME (kids have to play with everyone on their team) 5. It's RELEVE RULES for body contact in both U13 and U14 6. You can complain directly to HQ if these rules are NOT applied by your coaches What do you think about this ? Is it a good thing... at that age ???

Have the regional teams been announced for JDQ ? Does this replace U15 ? Thanks JC

Ray, I agree, Lions have enough talent for both teams to be very strong in the front. It's their backend and their goaltending where depth is a real issue. In my view Select du Nord will be the top team. Their first line last year was an all 2004 line... and some of the 04 parents were involved with the team - all being equal, I expect those three kids will play a LOT and be the most dominant line in Peewee AAA this year. Mo, I can't say I agree with your theory in regards to surclassing - TL would have wasted his time in atom two years ago... he was the best defenseman in the league as an 04 last year. Same for S.Poulin and X.Parent a few years ago in Peewee and again last year in Midget AAA.

It's August already and training camps will get underway within a week in most regions: 1.Who will the top teams be in 2016-17 ? 2. JS was the top 2004 in scoring last season at the top level and TL was the top D in the province. Will either of them or any other 04's get surclassed to Bantam ? 3. Does anyone know where the Defi will be held this year ?

It happens at every level. Kids who played PW AAA last winter were playing 2003 D2 last weekend in Drummondville. WTF !

Lac St-Louis Lions are #1 and #2 in PWAAA, #2 in BantamAAA and #2 in Espwoir... not a bad !

Here is the schedule for the Dèfi https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/498/Defi_Pee_Wee_AAA_2015_Laval_(1)55e065a18590c.pdf?__utma=181332280.773641846.1440968600.1440968600.1441248412.2&__utmb=181332280.2.10.1441248412&__utmc=181332280&__utmx=-&__utmz=181332280.1441248412.2.2.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=(organic)%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=(not%2520provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=188822827